DOMINANT ANGLE
Singapore sees Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN as a campaign address aimed more at Israeli public opinion than at the General Assembly, just five weeks before tight elections on October 27.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Netanyahu labels outgoing delegates as "moral cowards" and accuses Qatar and Turkey of funding campaigns against Israel
- 02
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, labeled "anti-Semitic" by Netanyahu, had considered executing an ICC arrest warrant before backing down due to lack of legal authority
- 03
Netanyahu spends less than eight hours in New York, without meeting with US officials, just five weeks ahead of Israel's October 27 elections
ANALYSIS
Singapour, 25 September 2026. At the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, 24 September, Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech that the local press describes less as a diplomatic address than as an electoral rally transposed to the New York podium. The Straits Times recalls that the Israeli Prime Minister, struggling to stay in power in the 27 October election, took advantage of the global platform to attack both declared adversaries and traditional partners, including the United Kingdom, France, and Turkey.
Dozens of delegates left the room upon his arrival, some whistling and jeering, before Netanyahu called them "moral cowards" and told them to leave if they had not already done so. He accused Qatar and Turkey of funding disinformation campaigns against Israel and attacked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling him "anti-Semitic" and claiming that since his election, many Jews no longer feel safe in the city. Mamdani, who had considered executing the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against the Israeli leader before recognizing he did not have the authority, retorted that Netanyahu was repeating lies intended to whitewash his genocide of Palestinians.
Former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, quoted by The Straits Times, sums up the exercise: "He's not really addressing the UN, he's addressing the Israeli public." According to him, by attacking Mamdani and Iran, Netanyahu is trying to convince hesitant voters between him and his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
The Singaporean press also notes the brevity of the trip: less than eight hours on American soil, compared to a week in 2025, without a planned meeting with American officials or with Donald Trump, whom Netanyahu has nonetheless met eight times since 2025. The Prime Minister's office announced nine bilateral meetings, mostly with Latin American leaders.
Outside the UN headquarters, the New York police arrested about thirty protesters, including actress Susan Sarandon, during a rally organized by Jewish Voice for Peace demanding an end to arms deliveries to Israel.
SOURCES (2)
- Straits TimesMEDIUM
- 'Moral cowards': Netanyahu defends Israel at UN, as dozens of delegates walk out
- Netanyahu expected to berate New York's Mamdani in 'campaign speech' of UN address
- Netanyahu's fleeting visit to New York mirrors strained US-Israeli ties
- Police arrest actors, politicians protesting against Netanyahu outside UN
